A British mother has incurred a £30,000 medical bill for a repatriation flight home after suffering a fractured skull and a brain bleed following a fall at a hotel in Majorca. Lynn Smith, 59, fell on May 22 while on a trip to celebrate her upcoming 60th birthday. The retired NHS health and safety manager collapsed in her hotel reception after feeling faint, hitting the back of her head on marble tiles.
Smith was taken to a local hospital, where doctors identified her injuries, which included a bleed on the brain. She was subsequently transferred to a specialist hospital for emergency treatment. Her daughter, Rose Rushbrook, 34, explained that her mother, who is generally in good health, likely experienced dizziness due to the heat. The fall resulted in immediate swelling and a significant injury to her head.
Medical Treatment and Repatriation
Doctors performed two operations to stop the brain bleed and placed Smith in a medically induced coma. On May 24, she underwent an emergency craniectomy to relieve pressure on her brain. While Smith is now able to open her eyes, her daughter stated that the long-term prognosis for her recovery remains uncertain.
Initially, Rushbrook believed her mother's treatment would be covered by her European Health Insurance Card (EHIC), but it was determined that the card did not cover the costs of returning her to the UK. She also assumed her mother would be covered under her own family travel insurance, as they live together. However, this policy only covered dependent children under the age of 18.
Faced with these insurance shortfalls, Rushbrook borrowed £30,000 to fund a medical repatriation flight, bringing her mother back to Colchester General Hospital on June 9. She described the situation as "horrific" and noted that they also had to cover accommodation costs for her father, who is in his 80s and remained in Spain. While a GoFundMe page has been set up to help repay the borrowed funds, Smith remains in hospital.
Broader Healthcare Costs for Tourists
Smith's case highlights a wider issue of healthcare costs faced by British holidaymakers abroad. Recent NHS figures indicate that UK travelers incurred approximately £181.7 million in overseas healthcare costs. In 2025, over 102,000 claims were made using EHIC and GHIC cards, underscoring the frequency of medical incidents among Britons traveling internationally. Spain accounted for the highest number of claims, with 41,454 cases totaling £24.1 million. Poland ranked second, with 22,249 claims worth £5.3 million, exceeding those in more popular destinations like France and Italy.